Gripper for hosiery strippers



Oct. 30, 1934. w. J. MERRIGAN, JR., ET AL 3 GRIPPER FOR HOSIERY STRIPPERS Filed Feb. 29. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Och 1934- w. .1. MERRIGAN, JR., ET AL 1,979,204

GRIPPER FOR HOSIERY STRIPPERS Filed Feb. 29. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 condition thereon.

of which:

Patented Oct. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signors to Proctor '& Schwartz, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsyl' Vania Application February 29, 1932, Serial No. 595,878

12 Claims. (Cl.223--20.3)

for such machines, as shown in the copending n the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

application of Harry F. Wanamaker, Serial No. 593,073, filed February 15, 1932.

When a stocking is held by the grippers as the form is withdrawn from the stocking, as described in the above noted patent, the more or less rapid relative movement between the form and the stocking fabric creates static electricity which causes the stocking to cling to the contact faces of the grippers. These contact faces heretofore have been composed of rubber, in view of the high frictional qualities of the rubber and the consequent efliciency in holding the, stocking as the form is withdrawn therefrom.

Such clinging of the stocking, even though it may be but momentary, prevents the stockings from being laid smoothly on the receiving'table which operates below the grippers to receive the stockings as they are released by the grippers. There is a relative horizontal movement between the grippersand the receiving table and unless the stocking is completely releasedand falls at the proper time onto the table the stocking becomes wrinkled or folded on the table, requiring manual smoothening of the stocking, ;.which is undesirable, V i i The object of the present invention is to eliminate the clinging of the stockings to the contact faces of the grippers, so that each stocking will be fully released at the proper time to fall properly onto the receiving table in a flat smooth Theconstruction and operation of the improved apparatus forming the subject of the present in vention will be fully disclosed hereinafter,-reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cooperating pair of gripping jaws, in closed position, equipped in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l with thejaws in open position to release a stocking;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of" the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the gripper pad shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the gripper comprises a pair of cooperating jaws 1 and 2 respectively, which are pivotally mounted on a supporting bar 3 and arranged to be opened and closed by a relatively oscillating shaft 4 through a lever 5 and links 6, 6.

The upper jaw 1 is provided with a head 10 having a longitudinal opening or slot 11 in which is suitably mounted a pad-carrying block 12.

The lowerjaw 2 is provided with a similar head having a longitudinal slot 21 in which is suitably mounted a pad-carrying block 22.

In the block 12 of the upper jaw is secured a contact pad 15 and in the block 22 of the lower jaw is secured a contact pad 25, between the contact faces 15m and 25a of which a stocking a: on a form x is adapted to be gripped, so that as the form is drawn out of the stocking the stocking will be held substantially stationary by the grippers.

Such relative movement between the form and the stocking creates static electricity that causes the stocking to cling to the contact surfaces of the gripper pads as above noted, which, as also noted above, heretofore have been made of rubher.

In the course of a series of experiments directed to elimination'of the clinging of the stocking to the contact pads, it has been found that by making the contact pad on one jaw, preferablythe lower jaw, of wood or an equivalent of wood, and by making the contact padin the other jaw of rubber with suitable plugs composed of a different material imbedded therein, such for example as plugs composed of rolled woven fabric or other bunched non-metallic'threads or fibers, the effect of the static electricity created by the relative movement between the form and the stocking is nullified.

- As shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, the contact pad 25 of the lower jaw,2 is composed of wood, preferably a relatively hard wood such as maple, while the contact pad 15 of the upper jaw 1 is composed of rubber of a more or less resilient compressible nature and provided with relatively spaced plugs composed of rolled woven fabric, with the lower ends of the plugs imbedded in the rubber and the upper ends preferably projecting slightly above the contact surface 150: of the pad 15-.

If desired, the rubber pad 15 can be supplanted by a wooden pad, or its equivalent, but it has been found more efiective to retain one pad of rubber, due to the frictional characteristics which respectively. I

of continuous use, tends to soften and to become contracted by the pressure exerted thereon through the medium of the opposed and cooperating wooden pad in the lower jawof they grippers. Such contracting of therubber pad,

which ordinarily would necessitate frequent"ad.-

justment of the jaw-controlling mechanisrnto provide uniform grippingiof stockings by the cooperating jaws, is eliminated by the firmer plugs composed of the rolled woven fabric or of longitudinally parallel bunched threads or other non-metal fibers which are imbeddedin the rubber pad, the portion 31 of the pad against which: the plugs 30. bear, and which is confined in the retaining cavity .13 of the. carrier block 12, affording-the necessary resilient seat for the plugs, contracti'ng ofthepad inthe direction of the length of the plugs whichwouldresult in expansion of the pad in a directiontransverse of the plugs being eliminated-byreason of the lower portion 31 of thelpad being-confined in cavity 13 of the carrier'blockrl2. I

Thepads'l5 and 25.are provided with counterboredopenings lfi'and 26. respectively which receive the retaining bolts1'7-and,2'7respectivelyv that hold the pads in thecarrier blocks 11 and 21 Y In some instances the pads maybe reversed, that is, the wooden pad may be placed in the upper jaw and the rubber pad may be placed in the lower jaw. Underthese' conditions the Stock-,-

, ing hanging over therear .upper edge of the rubber pad drags on said edge as the stocking moves outof the grippers upon release thereby, and in order to eliminate suchvdragging of the stocking the pad is provided with a rearwardly extending fiange or shelf 35, asillust'rated in Figs. 5 and '6. The flange being .fiexible readily bends under the weight of the stocking to form a smooth curved surface at the rear of the pad to prevent any dragging of: the stocking over the otherwise relatively sharp unyielding edge of the pad; j

Ifdesired; the rubber pad may be faced-with leather or fabric, as shown at 36 in Figs. '5 and 6,111 place "of having the plugs 30 imbedded: in

, the rubber, the leatherlor fabric facing having a fairly satisfactory degree of frictional qualitywhich will hold-the stocking under the pressure exerted by the'grippers, but which will be immuneto the effects of the'static electricity'and which at the same time will prevent the-softening and contracting of the rubber under long periods of continuous'use.

We claim: a v

1. In a machine forremoving stockings from forms, the'combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a'form there between for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, and means devoid of electrostatic attraction for-the stocking carried by the'jaws for gripping contact with the stocking to prevent -,cohesion=between. thestocking and thejawsas a result of the relative movement between the stocking and the form.

2. Ina machine for' removing'stockingsfrom forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being efiected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a-contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stocking respectively, at least one of said pads being composed of-a material devoid of electrostatic attraction for the stocking to prevent cohesion between the stocking-and the pad as a result of the relative vmovement vbetween the stocking and the form.

3L1'In afmachin'e forremoving stockings from forms-, the' combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping'the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the" form and the stocking held by the jaws, a

;contact padcarried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stocking respectively, at least one of said pads being composed of wood devoid'of electrostatic attraction for the stocking'to prevent cohesion between the stocking and the pad as a result of the relative movement between the stocking and the form. a

#4. In a machine for-removing stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a' stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stocking respectively,

at least one of said pads being composed of a material having relatively high frictional qualities and provided with inserts composed of a material devoid of electrostatic attraction for the stocking to prevent cohesion between the stocking and the pad as a result of the relative movement between the stocking and the form. v

' 5; In 'a machine for removing stockings from forms,-the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a formtherebetween for-stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stockingrespectively,

upon relative movement being efiected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with oppositefsides of, the stockingrespectively, at least one of, saidpads being composed of rubher and provided at the stocking-engagingface thereof with inserts composed respectively of groups of fibers arranged vsubstantially parallel with the, corresponding ends of the fibers of each group disposed in a plane approximately-coincident with the plane of the said contact'face of t the pad.

7. In a machine for removing; stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating aws arranged to, grip a' stocking'on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being efie'ctedbetween the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stocking respectively, at least one of said pads being composed of rubber and provided with plugs composed of rolled woven fabric imbedded in the rubber and projecting above the face of the pad arranged to engage the stocking.

8. In a machine for removing stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stocking respectively, one of said pads being composed of rubber and provided with plugs composed of rolled woven fabric imbedded in the rubber and projecting above the face of the pad arranged to engage the stocking and the other of said pads being composed of wood.

9. In a machine for removing stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a contact pad carried by each jaw for engagement with opposite sides of the stocking respectively, and a flexible shelf adjacent and projecting outwardly from one edge of the pad of the lower jaw for supporting the stocking beyond the pad.

10. In a machine for removing stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being effected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a resilient pad on the lower jaw for contact with the under-side of the stocking, and a flexible shelf adjacent and projecting outwardly from one edge of the pad of the lower jaw for supporting the stocking beyond the pad.

11. In a machine for removing stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being efiected between the form and the stocking held by the jaw, a resilient pad on the lower jaw for contact with the under-side of the stocking, a flexible shelf adjacent and projecting outwardly from one edge of the pad of the lower jaw for supporting the stocking beyond the pad, and a covering on said pad and said shelf composed of material devoid of electrostatic attraction for the stocking to prevent cohesion between the stocking, the pad and the shelf as a result of the relative movement between the stocking and the form.

12. In a machine for removing stockings from forms, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws arranged to grip a stocking on a form therebetween for stripping the stocking from the form upon relative movement being efiected between the form and the stocking held by the jaws, a resilient pad on the lower jaw for contact with the under-side of the stocking, a flexible shelf adjacent and projecting outwardly from one edge of the pad of the lower jaw for supporting the stocking beyond the pad, a covering on said pad and 

